Ranchi, Nov 6 The NGT has taken suo motu cognisance of the death of two workers due to alleged gas exposure at ESL Steel Limited in Jharkhand’s Bokaro district.
The two workers died on October 12.
The matter was heard on November 4 by a bench comprising National Green Tribunal (NGT) chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Dr Afroz Ahmad, a statement by the tribunal said on Friday.
The bench took suo motu cognisance of the incident following newspaper reports about the deaths of the two workers at the plant, a subsidiary of Vedanta Iron & Steel Limited (VISL).
“The tribunal noted that, prima facie, the deaths appeared to have occurred due to carbon monoxide exposure. However, the post-mortem report was still awaited at the time of passing the order,” the statement said.
It observed that the incident raised issues concerning possible violations of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
“The matter involves substantial questions relating to compliance with environmental standards and implementation of statutory provisions,” the statement added.
The tribunal has impleaded the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board, Ranchi; the Central Pollution Control Board, Regional Office, Kolkata; the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Regional Office, Ranchi; and the District Magistrate, Bokaro, as respondents.
It directed all the respondents to submit their respective responses through affidavits at least one week before the next hearing.
Considering that the matter falls within the territorial jurisdiction of the Eastern Zonal Bench, the principal bench has transferred the original application and its records to the NGT Eastern Zonal Bench, Kolkata, for further proceedings.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on December 21 before the Eastern Zonal Bench in Kolkata.
(PTI News)
